We Are The Dreamers of Dreams (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) | Mark Davies

We Are The Dreamers Of Dreams (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Welcome inside my mind, strange isn’t it! ‘Wolves, Wonderment and Wanderlust’ is a truly balanced boutique ‘Storyteller’ collection, it is dark, light, and downright bizarre, guess which one this falls under.

The brilliant story writing (not by me!) lends itself to falling into all three but I have wanted to create a quirky and bizarre piece on this classic for an age so now was the perfect opportunity! As a kid, I remember the Roald Dahl books well and I will without doubt do a collection purely on his genius storytelling. Without a doubt though, the film that starred the amazing Gene Wilder is what stirs up my fondest memories, it just has everything! You know how I love to show the proximity of darkness and light and how they are interwoven, and the film does that and more. I just love it. The settings within the factory are iconic as well as the much more recent version that starred the brilliant Johnny Depp. It was crucial that my version didn’t end up being influenced by either of those, that would have been lazy and too easy. So, what you see is a glimpse inside my mind, my imagination. I hope you like it. ‘We are the Dreamers of Dreams’ takes the ‘Wonderment’ spot from this collection. 

The serene chocolate river is a contrast to the powerful waterfall that cascades downwards. This piece is a classic example of how I set off on a journey creating the scene but without being too concise and pre-planned. I wanted it to evolve, to go off on random deviations as my imagination opens up. I guess that is what makes artists different to another, it’s how your mind works that makes the piece authentic and true. I wanted to inject an industrial quality but with a cute and colourful approach so that is why the pipes that transport god knows what are shaped as plastic bendy drinking straws. The ‘steam punk’ inspired paddle steamer is like no other. I didn’t want to use something like the films as like I said before, too easy, and if you have read my ‘Wanderlust’ narrative you’ll know why! 

If you hold that thought and seek out an element within the scene it can help to position what you are seeing. My lips are sealed shut, as if holding a handful of everlasting gobstoppers in my, well, gob! I really do hope that I have done this justice, I know I am proud of it but when you are referencing such brilliance in storytelling there is quite some pressure there. I share an un-wanted affiliation with the battles that Gene Wilder faced, and I would love to think that my work would capture his sparkle and raise a smile if he could see. Rest in peace Gene. X

We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams, life is way too fucking short, it really is. We really don’t know what the future holds so embrace now, think bigger, dream bigger, be brighter, act with integrity and be authentic. Be a bit more Wonka!